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Updated 12.30pm
THERE WERE ANGRY scenes in the Seanad this morning as the Government was accused of trying to rig the banking inquiry in its favour.
The row centred over coalition plans to add two more senators to the panel – Fine Gael’s Michael D’Arcy and Labour’s Susan O’Keeffe – giving it a majority.
Sinn Féin senator David Cullinane called the motion being put to the house an “absolute disgrace” and said the Taoiseach should come in and address the chamber.
“Government senators should be ashamed of themselves,” Cullinane said.
He was heckled by Government members as he accused them of “not wanting” to get to the truth, and of being more interested “in scoring points off Fianna Fáil”.
The banking inquiry had been made up of nine members – five opposition and four government – but in seeking to regain a majority the coalition has added two more members this morning.
Opposition senators succeeded in adding Fianna Fáil’s MacSharry to the inquiry team last week, after a number of government senators missed a crucial vote of the Seanad selection committee.
There have been several rows in the Dáil and Seanad over the issue in recent days culminating in this morning’s vote during the Seanad Order of Business.
The motion to add to the committee was passed by six votes and increases the membership of the inquiry team to 11 – six government and five opposition members.
Responding for the government in the upper house this morning, Labour Senator Aideen Hayden said it was “the ultimate in irony” to hear “Fianna Fáil talking about skulduggery and Sinn Féin talking about democracy”.
“The other thing I would say is never let the truth stand in the way of a good story.
“Let me be absolutely clear about what we’re appointing people to here. We’re not actually appointing people to a banking inquiry. We’re appointing them to a committee to set terms of reference for a banking inquiry.
“This may be too legally complex for some of the eminent minds at the other side of the house, but that is the fact of the matter.”
’This may be too legally complex’… [Oireachtas.ie]
Independent (and former Fine Gael) senator Paul Bradford, a member of the selection committee, said the Government was trying to re-write the result of last week’s meeting at which the inquiry membership was agreed.
“It will be written that on Thursday June 12th the moral authority of the current Government completely disappeared and Seanad Éireann entered into a place of total disrepute,” Bradford said.
What is happening this morning is deeply disturbing.
Senator Ned O’Sullivan of Fianna Fáil said it was “a very dangerous day” for democracy and that the Taoiseach had “dumped down on the house again”.
He said Enda Kenny was asking them to approve something “that Hitler himself, with the Enabling Act would have been ashamed of”
Quite clearly the Government have no interest in a real, productive banking inquiry at all.
Ned O’Sullivan [Oireachtas.ie]
O’Sullivan appealed for independent senators not to back the motion, saying that if it went through “it would be the worst day since the Blueshirts”.
There were also angry words from Senator James Heffernan, who resigned the party whip in 2012.
He said the Government motion was “absolutely reprehensible” and claimed the coalition had been seeking an inquiry akin to a “Nuremburg-style trial”.
“What’s the point in having any democratic institution if you’re going to be treated in this fashion,” Heffernan said.
“What you’re going to have is a show-trial that no-one, no-one, is going to abide by or uphold anything out of.
You’ve made a complete and utter balls of it.
https://vine.co/v/Mjji6t0WFvm
Outside Leinster House, Fianna Fáil’s finance spokesperson and banking inquiry member Michael McGrath said the committee is now controlled “in a very political way”.
“I think ultimately the outcome of this is that the inquiry itself is damaged with its credibility severely undermined,” he said.
In the Dáil, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore hit out at the opposition, accusing them of a “parliamentary stroke” by adding two opposition senators to inquiry when there was “an understanding” that it would be one government and one opposition.
“A bit of slick parliamentary footwork was performed and we ended up with two opposition members proposed to be nominated,” he said.
He said that Seanad membership of the inquiry should be made up of both government and opposition, adding: “That’s what balance is about”.
- additional reporting from Hugh O’Connell
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Absolutely no place for this at any sports ground. They’re a disgrace to their county & should be barred from venues for life
@samstheman: They were kids, give them a break.
@páraicS: To be fair in any other sport they would see some sort of ban. By not doing so the gaa are in some way allowing this behavior to spread.
I’m a similar note I saw an underage hurling game on my local park whilst walking my dog where there was a proper fight on the pitch between 2 players where they had to be separated. Neither was sanctioned( or even told to shake hands afterwards) that’s really poor behavior from the coaches
@páraicS: they weren’t ‘kids’ . Look at the footage. They were youths. And they were a disgrace. Pure thugs
@páraicS: big enough for kids. I stand by my comment. Then they got off with a caution. Joke, interestingly if they were Dubs what would you have to say?
@Anthony: what’s a youth? If I host an under 15s soccer match is it a game between a gang of youths?
@páraicS: I would say the people harassed or intimidated because of their carry on also deserve a break
@páraicS: Kids ? They were given Adult cautions, Kids my ass!
Imagine the damage there could have been done by their behaviour and come back and tell us to give them a break.
@thephantomshit: they were older than 15. Look at the footage.
@páraicS: Nope.
@páraicS: noisy disruptive teenagers can be a nuisance at games to spectators near them needing the Guards to be called. Responsibility called for.
@páraicS: cops should have given both of them a good clipping. Teach them some manners.
@páraicS: They got their break by not being charged, but why should paying spectators have to endure gobshyte behaviour from people at a match, regardless of age?
@John Kelly: bring back nidge, they need to be clipped.
Everyone is responsible for their own actions, I’d say their families are proud of them today. If u keep messing with fire u get burnt & these guys have a long way to go if they keep lighting fires.
@reg gordon: gaa use kid gloves wth onfield violence likewise wth thuggery on terraces
@Don Dealgan: the GAA didn’t let them go with an “adult caution” the Gardai did
@samstheman: talk a bit of sense. Don’t be trying to excuse this rowdyism. People like you add to the problem.
Too much Clonmel apple juice….
There seems to be a developing culture of phuckwits in the last year at hurling matches. I was at the Limerick match yesterday and there was a gang of aroud 40 neanderthals roaring out soccer chants for the whole match. These vermin have no place at hurling games and this must be nipped in the bud now.
@Ronan Sexton: People were singing songs at a match and you got upset? Think you need a new hobby.
@Seán Ó Murchú: No Sean, are yout comprehension skills that bad? There are night classes for that.
Why were Tipp fans beating up Tipp fans????
@Adolf Galland: drink
This isn’t the first time Tipperary supporters have been fighting each other at matches. There should be a ban on intoxicated people going into matches.
@Ed: when was d other time
Unbelievable they were let go.
Their actions both warranted being charged with public order offences, the little thug on the left in the video being the chief culprit, its an assault in broad daylight with hundreds of witnesses for christ’s sake.
points deduction for Tipp
@tubbsyf: you can have 17 points of you’re from Waterford
Ah sure it only a bit of banter
Yup 50 year old Saracens fans Nayo
If that was the Dubs.liveline would get 2 weeks out of it
Wildlings.
have your say